March 6, 2024
Former Criminal Barrister and RLC Door Tenant David Wurtzel has delved into the rich history of Tinseltown’s golden age with the release of his latest novel “The Chosen City: Hollywood in the 1930s”. Born and raised in Hollywood, David’s deep-rooted connection to the industry spans generations, with family members playing pivotal roles in shaping Hollywood’s iconic era.
RLC spoke to him to mark World Book Day:
Q: What inspired you to write this book which focuses on Hollywood in the 1930s?
I entered the world in Hollywood, born in a hospital nestled within the iconic district of Los Angeles. My family’s ties to the motion picture industry date back to 1917, when my Great Uncle Sol was summoned to Hollywood by William Fox to oversee production at the studio he had recently acquired. Following in his footsteps, my grandfather spent 25 years as head of construction at Twentieth Century Fox, paving the way for my father to embark on a lifelong career in the business. Everyday errands were intertwined with the bustling world of filmmaking. From routine haircuts at the barber shop on the Fox lot to dental appointments in Shirley Temple’s former bungalow. Uncle Sol made Shirley Temple a star and discovered Rita Hayworth; my cousin Paul, a special effects man, operated the wind machine under Marilyn Monroe’s skirt in The Seven Year Itch. When the time came to pen my own narrative, the allure of Hollywood’s ‘golden age’ proved irresistible. Inspired by my family’s rich history and the enchanting tales of yesteryear, I embarked on the journey of writing a family saga deeply rooted in the golden era of Hollywood.
Q: Tell us about the story
The story takes place during the Depression. The star actors come from poor backgrounds but are catapulted into wealth and fame. Bobby is deeply conscious of his immediate family’s limited means compared to the huge, established wealth of his Yale friends who are indifferent to the storm clouds over Europe. Antisemitism plays a large part in the novel. And then there is cousin Iris, a crusading Communist. Hollywood during that era meant movies were THE form of visual entertainment for the mass of people and most people went to movies once or twice a week. Whatever went on behind the scenes between the people involved, the public was given great entertainment and stars with whom they could identify. And what Bobby aims for is to give a sense of truth to the story
Q: In what ways do you think your experience in the legal profession enhances your storytelling or character development?
Being a criminal barrister is all about dialogue, for eg, the evidence in chief and cross-examination. Talking to a judge or jury is a form of story-telling: making them believe that your argument is the correct one. It is also the way a barrister explores the character of the witness—why did they behave this way? What is the case really about? That’s what I enjoyed about practice and I think dialogue is my strongest point. But as an author, I can give the characters great lines which, in court, only occurred to me the next day! Novel writing isn’t like writing an advice. Things don’t have to happen in a particular order. And you are not bound by the facts; the facts can be whatever you want them to be and they can happen in any way you want. But you have to make it credible for the reader. Like a good advice, though, at the end of the novel, the reader, like the jury have to be convinced that it could only have happened this way.
RLC Door Tenant David Wurtzel practised at the criminal Bar for 27 years. Prior to his retirement, he was a consultant in the CPD department at City Law School and consultant editor of Counsel. His new novel “The Chosen City: Hollywood in the 1930s” is available here: www.thechosencity.com and on Amazon here: [Amazon]